1. Field
The disclosure relates generally to a method for analyzing and assessing both the value and effort that is anticipated, if cloud computing is used to process a specified workload associated with a user entity, rather than using the processing resources of the user entity for such task. The disclosure relates more specifically to a method of the above type, wherein input data is acquired to characterize the user entity IT resources, IT management practices, and the workload and the business practices around the workload, and the input data is then used by an analytical tool to compute both the anticipated value and the anticipated effort.
2. Description of the Related Art
Cloud computing is increasingly being used by user entities such as businesses and other organizations to service their data processing workloads. Generally, cloud computing customers do not own the physical computing resources or infrastructure of the cloud. Instead, a cloud user entity consumes data processing resources as a service, in order to process particular workloads that are delivered or routed using the resources and services provided by the cloud computing environment. Before the cloud delivered services can be used to process the workload, the workload is transformed into a form that is compatible with the cloud resources. The cloud user entity thus pays only for the cloud resources that are actually used while processing specific instances of the workload, and thereby avoids capital expenditures for the resources by renting usage of resources and services from a third-party provider of cloud computing services. Such services are typically made available by the third party provider as a utility, or on a subscription basis. A large business enterprise or other organization may also provide private cloud computing services, which may be used by one or more business units and lines of business of the organization instead of employing their own local resources.
While a user entity that requires data processing services may realize significant benefits or value by processing a workload using cloud computing, rather than using the resources of its own processing system or environment, such action is also likely to have undesired costs or burdens. Before a workload can be processed using cloud computing services, the workload may have to be transformed so it conforms to certain form and standards required by computing services. Such transformation entails certain costs or burdens. Accordingly, before a user entity transforms a workload for delivery to a cloud computing environment, it is desirable for the entity to perform an analysis to determine both the value that will be realized thereby, and the cost or effort that will be incurred. Such value and effort is dependent on the processing environment of the user entity. It is anticipated that for some workloads, the analysis will show that cloud computing is not a preferable alternative to the user entity's own system resources. Moreover, both the value and effort of cloud computing can vary widely among workloads of different types.
Herein, for clarity, the term “value” is used to mean the value, benefits and advantages including monetary, time-value, and other economic gains which a user entity expects to realize by delivering a particular workload to a cloud computing environment, for processing thereby. The term “effort” is used to refer collectively to all undesired costs, burdens, efforts or pains which the user entity expects will result, if such action is taken. The term “user entity processing system” is used herein to mean the infrastructure and other resources collectively available to a user entity in its own environment, which will be used to process respective workloads if the workloads are not delivered to a cloud computing environment.
At present, an analysis as described above can require detailed data collection about workloads and infrastructure. The collected data must then be analyzed or assessed, in order to determine whether or not there will be an overall benefit if cloud computing is used for a particular workload rather than using the entity processing system. An important disadvantage of this approach is that substantial time and cost may be required for the assessment.
In an alternative approach, a whitepaper is made available, which shows both the benefit and cost that may be expected when workloads of different types are delivered to a cloud computing environment. However, the benefit and cost amounts in this approach are typically directed to a generic or “average” workload of a particular type. As a result, the benefits and amounts provided by the whitepaper may not be pertinent to a user entity workload that has certain characteristics or attributes which cause it to be quite different, in regard to cloud computing, from the generic workload of its type that is used in creating the whitepaper.